


Konoha's Angels

by witchbreaker



Category: Naruto
Genre: AU, Changed teams
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-10
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-10-17 07:57:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10589730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchbreaker/pseuds/witchbreaker
Summary: Angels are messengers of God and sometimes that message is death and destruction.OrIruka gets to arrange the Genin teams.





	1. Chapter 1

"I am not playing favorites." Iruka tells himself as he scribbled Naruto's name next to Shikamaru's and Chouji's. If they were using the old system then the little trouble maker would have gone with Sasuke and Sakura but the Hokage has decided to suspend that in light of Mizuki's betrayal.

_"We don't know how far back his treachery goes." Sarutobi-sama had admitted to Iruka in a private meeting. "Until that can be determined, all of the records that Mizuki had access to are in question. This includes the standings for several classes as I am assure you are aware."_

_"Yes Hokage-sama." Honestly, it would have been laughably easy for Mizuki to manipulate the Genin teams. He was the one who handed over the records and none of the teachers are part of the team forming process. If he had been clever about it, nobody would ever realize he was sabotaging teams. It hurts to think that the man who had been his best friend would have done such a thing but even Iruka admits it has to be considered._

_"We cannot delay the graduation nor do we have time to do a through investigation. Because of this I am entrusting you to organize the teams for your class. Arrange them however you see fit."_

_"Yes, Hokage-sama." Iruka had replied after swallowing hard. Team formations were always contentious which was the main reason they were based on grades. He had no idea how parents would react when they could aim their ire at a person instead of a system. But, the Hokage had asked him to do it so he would do it._

Which was why he was sitting at a desk, back stiff from pain and bandages, and muttering to himself as dawn rapidly approached. Most had already been easily sorted into teams. It was just these nine that were giving him trouble. 

He raises his pen to put Ino with Sasuke and Sakura but the image of the disaster that would be stops him cold. It would be worse than setting off exploding kunai in a dumpster. 

He goes to place her with Shino and Kiba but that doesn't work either. Her skill set clashes with theirs. Shino makes her nonlethal take down skills redundant and he is better than her in the academic areas. Kiba far out paces her when it comes to combat and he is going to but heads with her because Ino is bossy and Kiba hates that. They would spend more time fighting each other than their enemies.

He moves her around but can't find a good place. Eventually he tries swapping out one of the boys instead of her but that has an equal amount of problems. In a fit of frustration, he sticks all of the girls together. It wasn't how things were done but the longer he looks at the paper the more he likes it.

Skill wise they could make an effective combat team. Hinata's close combat skills can provide protection for Ino and Sakura can cover Hinata if she had training in ninjutsu. She has got the control and Iruka knows Sakura has the ingenuity to use them effectively. 

While Sakura and Ino are fighting it isn't as bad as Naruto and Sasuke. Iruka has seen them be kind towards each other when they forget about Sasuke and remember that they were friends. He is pretty confident they will get over it once they aren't near the boy anymore. That is if puberty doesn't start a whole _new_ fight.

Iruka is so, so happy his students graduate at twelve. When he can throw the worst of the hormonal mess at other people. 

Anyway, he looks at his nine problem kids and thinks that this might, _might_ , not be a series of disasters. It is the best he can do at any rate. He makes it official and goes to hand the formations to Sarutobi-sama. 

Team 10 will be Choji Akimichi, Shikamaru Nara, and Naruto Uzumaki.

Team 8 will be Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka, and Sasuke Uchiha.

Team 7 will be Sakura Haruno, Hinata Hyuga, and Ino Yamanaka. 

-

Hiruzen Sarutobi lights his pipe and thinks. He was not expecting to be bothered by the team formations this year but he had learned long ago that things normally did not go how he expected them to go. To be truthful, this was not even the worst thing that could have happened. People would complain but he had been dealing with that for a very long time. He was use to it. 

No, what was bothering him was something Iruka had said while defending his placement of Naruto.

_"I formed them this way because this is the best combination for who they are _now_. Maybe one day Naruto and Sasuke would make a great team but if they are shoved together now they are only going to explode. Team placements are too important to chance on people changing."_

Sarutobi had agreed with that which is why he hadn't order Iruka to change his team list. He was going to get hell for not placing the only child Sharingan user on the same team as the jinchuriki but Sarutobi would shrug it off. He was far too old to care. 

What he was not too old to care about was the state of his Jonin. Despite being removed from ANBU, Kakashi was still a mess. He shunned friendship, he lived for his missions, and Sarutobi knew that he was just waiting for one of his enemies to get lucky enough that he wouldn't have think about making it home. Sarutobi had hoped that a team with his sensei's son and last Uchiha would be good enough to pass and help Kakashi. Or give him a swift kick in the ass. Sarutobi wasn't sure anymore. Kakashi could not resist being a brat and Sarutobi was getting tired of waiting for karma.

The Hokage looked over the lists again. Kakashi would not be a good fit to teach Sasuke or Naruto's teams. Iruka was right. He had to consider who people are not what he hoped they could be. Taking everything else into consideration, he assigned him to Team 7. Maybe this one would be the one. Sarutobi thought about Kakashi's track record and prepared himself to deal with an angry Inochi and Hiashi. 

-

Kakashi privately considers the annual Genin test to be his payback for getting removed from ANBU. He couldn't fight it nor could he stop the Hoage from trying to foist off anklebiters onto him but he could fail them with the Bell Test. 

Repeatedly. 

He held the longest record for failed teams in all of Konoha and he wasn't going to change that anytime soon. 

This team was no different. They had lasted seventeen minutes. Longer than most but that didn't change the fact that the pink one was currently tied to the post while the blue one and the yellow one are holding their lunches. He 'left' a second ago and was waiting for them to officially fail. He had shown them just how out classed they were. Had shoved it in their face that they weren't prepared to deal with a real threat. Maybe it had been too harsh, but Kakshi didn't care. The purpose hadn't been to test their skills. It had been to put pressure on them and see whether their team would fracture after getting crushed. 

And they woul-...

Kakashi blinked. The blue one had just handed over her lunch. She hadn't even opened it. There was some back and forth as the pink one insisted she was fine but she caved quickly and then the yellow also handed over her lunch. In fact, they got the pink one untied and were splitting it between themselves. None of them had forsaken the others.

The first thing he feels is a little bit of joy. Finally, a team that _gets_ it. He doesn't want to teach them but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to see a team in Konoha that understands teamwork.

His first thought is:

_Damn, there goes my record._


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura was sure she was going to die. Kakashi-sensei was busy with Zabuza and she and Ino couldn't land a hit on Haku. One of her arms was dangling useless at her side. A dozen of senbon had numbed it so much that she couldn't even twitch her fingers. Ino wasn't doing much better. Sakura grabbed an exploding tag, shoved it through the loop of a kunai, and chucked it in Haku's direction. It goes off but of course missed him. 

"Stop playing around Haku!" Sakura can't see where Zabuza was but she could hear him loud and clear. Haku did too. He immediately preformed his master's order. 

"Ino!" Sakura cried out as she watched the blonde slam into the ground. She can't tell if she was breathing. Sakura desperately wished for someone to save them. Anyone. She stumbled backwards, watching as a hail of senbon came directly towards her. There was no way she dodge them. Tears start to come to her eyes as it sunk in that this was it. 

A pale form lept in front of her. Sakura blinked once from it and wished she had kept her eyes closed.

"Hinata?" The words came out like a croak. Before Sakura stood her shy little teammate. Completely skewered. The thin needles had pierced her neck, chest, arms, legs, _everything_. 

"Sakura-chan." Hinata fell backwards. Sakura reached up to catch her, keeping her teammate from hitting the ground. 

"Hinata! What are you doing here!?" They had left her behind after she had exhausted herself yesterday during training. She was supposed to have stayed with Tazuna's family. The team hadn't believed she could handle facing off against Zabuza again. Not when she had frozen up the last time. 

"You're my teammates," Hinata muttered. The words were only audible because Sakura was holding her. "I can't...I can't let you get hurt." 

Hinata's eyes fluttered closed. Sakura desperately tried to find a pulse but there was nothing. She was holding nothing but a corpse. 

"Billboard-brow!" A voice that didn't sound right shocked Sakura. Her head whipped up and she saw that Haku was yelling at her. No, Ino in Haku's body was yelling at her. "Snap out of it! I can't hold him much longer!" 

Sakura looked back down at Hinata. Lifeless. 

"Sakura!" 

Sakura felt her terror slip away and be replaced by anger. It boiled up inside of her and instead of shoving it away, Sakura used it. Hinata hadn't deserve to die. But she had and now Sakura was going to make sure that Ino wasn't going to be next. She let go of Hinata. Running towards Haku, she rips the senbon out of her useless arm. Her own kunai are gone but these would do. They thread easily through her fingers. She jumped and slammed into Haku's chest. She was skinny for her age but she still has a good hundred pounds on her. It was enough to pin him to the ground with her straddling him. Ino was still in there but she couldn't do much but hold him still. 

"I'm sorry." Sakura said before stabbing Haku's right hand with the senbon hard enough to embed them into the bridge. He let out a short scream that she was sure was actually from Ino. Ninjutsu disabled, Sakura ripped off his mask and punched him in the face with her good arm. There was blood as she broke his nose. A gasp as Ino fled back to her own body. 

Back in control, Haku raised his good hand. He flied through seals faster than she could figure out what they are. What she could tell was that the water around them was peeling off the bridge and forming into shards of ice. One handed ninjutsu are mastered by very few and even then, they can only do it with their favorite techniques. Sakura remembered distantly. None of that was important. This was a problem and Sakura was going to lose the upper hand if she didn't do something. 

She needed her good arm to attack so she bit his hand hard. Haku tried to pull it out of her grip but she held on. Her couldn't throw her off. Not with one hand pinned and her good one wrapped around his throat. She squeeze both her teeth and fingers. His face started to turn blue. A blast of water caught Sakura in the side and sent her flying. She bounced, once, twice, before coming to a stop. She let out a whimper before spitting out the blood, and flesh, that had been in her mouth. Her teeth had ripped out a good section of Haku's hand. Not that that mattered. The water had frozen and now Sakura couldn't move. She twisted, trying to free herself from the ice but it wouldn't budge. 

_I need a fire jutsu._ She thought fiercely. But she didn't know any. Looking over to Haku, she saw him unpin himself and despaired. Kakashi-sensei was still fighting Zabuza. Ino was no longer conscious. They were dead. 

"How pathetic." Honestly, Sakura should have noticed that they were no longer the only ones on the bridge but the sight of a business man with a cane and dozens of mercenaries was still a shock. "This is really the best the 'Demon of the Mist' can do?" 

"Gato," Zabuza growled. "What the fuck are you doing?" 

"Our deal is over." Was the reply. Sakura just stared at him. Was...was he really trying to double cross a ninja? "You're a waste of money." 

Zabuza turned away from Kakashi-sensei and pointed his giant sword at Gato. "What did you just call me?" 

"A waste of money." Gato repeated. "These men are going to kill the bridge builder and you for a far better deal." 

The air took on a dark hue. Sakura could taste danger in the air in a way she hadn't before. 

"I'm going to enjoy killing you." Was the only thing that Zabuza said before leaving his fight with Kakashi-sensei and charging at the new enemy force. Haku didn't hesitate before joining him. Sakura saw them tearing through the mercenaries like they were paper. 

"Status report." Kakashi-sensei was suddenly by her side, breaking the ice. Sakura swallowed. 

"My arm is useless. Something is broken in my side. I...I might have a concussion." Her head certainly hurt enough. 

"Get up and get Tazuna out of here." He ordered. "I'll get the others." 

"Yes, sensei." Came out automatically. She pushed herself up and made herself run towards where Tazuna had taken cover. "Come with me." 

"Hatake!" A voice rang out. Sakura looked behind her. The sight was shocking. Somehow, between her being freed and getting to Tazuna, Zabuza and Haku and slaughtered the mercenaries. Bodies were strewed everywhere. Those that had survived were running for their lives. "The bridge builder is no longer my concern but if I see you on the battlefield again, I'm going to continue our fight." 

"If I see you again, I will end it." Kakashi-sensei's voice was deadly sharp. Sakura got the impression he was speaking more to Haku than to Zabuza. He had Ino and Hinata in each arm and didn't turn around until they missing nin where out of sight. He laid the two girls down next to Sakura and Tazuna. She checked Ino first. The blonde was breathing. She seemed to be trying to wake up if her mutterings were any indication. Sakura too out a vial from her poach and shoved it under Ino's nose. 

"Oh. My. GOD!" Ino screeched and rolled away. "Ew! Ew! Ew! Ew! What was that?!" 

"Stupid pig." Sakura said half heartedly. She couldn't hide the relief she felt as Ino sat up. At least...at least some of them had made it out of this nightmare alive. "Can't you recognize Wake Up scent?" 

"Shut up Billboard-brow." Ino sniped back. It didn't have it's normal heat. "You didn't have to get back into your body." 

Sakura let herself get sucked back into their normal fighting. It helped her ignored Hinata's own body. 

Cough. 

Everyone stopped. Kakashi-sensei bent down next to Hinata. She coughed and shuddered again. Faster than Sakura could see, he removed the needles from Hinata and helped her sit up. Weakly, her eyes opened. Sakura gasped. 

"What happened?" The Hyuga asked. Sakura didn't answer. She just hugged Hinata as hard as she could. She also got Kakashi-sensei in it too. That was less on purpose and more because he was holding Hinata. 

"You! You!" Sakura couldn't say anything more. She was trying too hard not to cry. 

"Hey, no hogging." Ino said and hugged them from the other side. Sakura could feel how uncomfortable this made Kakashi-sensei but she didn't care. Hinata was _alive_. Kakashi-sensei would just have to put up with it. 

Eventually, they went back to Tazuna's house to recuperate. Well, the girls did. Kakashi-sensei wasn't nearly as bad off this time as he had been the last time him and Zabuza fought. He watched over Tazuna as the bridge was completed. Without Gato to interfere, it was done a lot faster than Sakura would have thought possible without ninjutsu. It was amazing how the country had seemed to change over night. There was hope in the air where they had been despair. People believed now that Gato was dead and the bridge almost complete, they finally had a chance. 

"Kakashi-sensei," She said to him one night after dinner. "I want you to teach me ninjutsu." 

"That's a lot to learn." He said in his usual obtuse manner. "A lot of work." 

"I don't care. I need to get stronger. While me and Ino were fighting Haku, I was...I was _useless_. If I had been better Hinata wouldn't have gotten hurt." If she had been better, she wouldn't have to be silently thanking Haku his compassion. It was by his kindness that they weren't bring Hinata back in a storage scroll. 

"It will have to wait until we're back in Konoha." He pointed out. 

"I know but I _need_ it. I can't be caught like that again." 

His one visible eyes curves into a smile. She got the feeling that he had been waiting for her to ask him this. "I think we can do that." 

"Thank you, sensei."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, apparently people like this. Here's some more.

Hinata watches as Ino and Sakura fight under Kakashi-sensei's watchful eye. The day is almost over and the dying sun lights up their training area one more time before night. She would like to join in but she is still not fully recovered from her injuries during the Wave Mission. She can practice with her team in the morning and do their missions in the afternoon but their evening practices are beyond her right now. The one time she had joined in, she had collapsed half-way through. Kakashi-sensei had ordered her to stay on the side lines until she was fully recovered. 

"That's enough." Kakashi-sensei declares. Sakura and Ino skid to a stop. Both are panting with bruises and dirt decorating their bodies. "Not bad. Sakura, you still need to work on your taijutsu. You're fast but not strong enough. Ino, you need to stop expecting back up. You leave yourself open too much when you use your Mind Body Switch." 

"Yes sensei." The two girls chorused. They limp over to Hinata and fall down on the cool grass. Hinata rummages through her pack and pulls out medicine. It's nothing much but anything she can do to help her teammates. 

"Thanks Hinata." Ino says as she takes the jar from her hand. 

"You're welcome." She replies as she helps Sakura apply some. The pinkette pays particular attention to her face. 

"Uh," Ino looks at the rocks and twigs in her hair. "It's going to take forever to get this clean." 

"At least your's isn't full of mud." Sakura grumbled. 

"Hey, it's not my fault you were near the river." 

"You made me jump into it, Ino-pig!" 

"Well, you shouldn't have been near it!" 

Both girls are sitting up now and glaring at each other. Sparks are flying and Hinata is sure they will restart their fighting in a second. 

"Plea-please don't fight." She says. The words catching in her throat as she forces them out. She hates it when they fight. She knows it mostly for show but she still flinches when words turn sharp and fists hit not for training but just to cause pain. They keep glaring and Hinata fidgets. "Please? It-it-it was only tr-training." 

Ino sighs and flops back onto the grass. Sakura deflates as she usually does when confronted about improper behavior. 

"Do you change the mixture?" Sakura ask, switching subjects. "This feels different than your normal stuff." 

"No?" Hinata answers. "Well, I left the base to set longer than normal. I think that made it stronger." 

"This has orchid leaves in it, doesn't it?" Ino asks. "That can happen with them." 

"I thought that just happened with the petals." Sakura chimes in. Ino launches into a speech about the various parts of an orchid and what you can do with them. It's clear Ino's learned a lot from her family side business. 

"But, honestly, it's too pretty and expensive. I'd rather use wormwood petals and keep the orchid." Ino ends. 

"Yeah," Sakura adds with a sigh. "It's so elegant. It goes so well with lavender wax flowers." 

"It's difficult to press." Hinata murmurs. 

"But great for flower crowns." Ino counters. "I haven't made flower crowns in forever." She says wistfully. 

"Me either." Sakura says. Hinata suspects that they haven't made flower crowns since they became rivals but says nothing. She's never made one herself. It seemed too sad to make for just for her and she's never had a friend to do it with. 

"We should change that." Ino says firmly. "It'll be fun!"

"I'm sure they will be very pretty." Hinata says. 

Ino looks at her sideways. "Pretty enough to catch the eye of a certain blond?" She teases. Hinata goes bright pink. 

"I-I-I-" Hinata pokes her fingers together. 

"I really don't know what you see in him." Sakura says. "Naruto is such an idiot." 

"He's brave." Hinata argues. She'll admit Naruto isn't the brightest person but to her, smarts pale in comparison to his other virtues. "And kind and he never gives up." 

"I guess." Sakura concedes. "He's still not as handsome as Sasuke-kun." 

Honestly, Hinata thinks Sasuke is just okay. He reminds her of all the worst parts of Neji-niisan. The dark hair and fine jaw line aren't enough to hide the rolling anger and bitterness inside of him. 

"And it doesn't change the fact that Naruto's as dumb as a post." Ino says. "I mean! He didn't even notice you were the one that snuck valentines chocolate to him last year!" 

Hinata wants to die. She wants the ground to swallow her whole and end her entire existence. She hadn't thought _anyone_ knew that had been her. 

"Ino-ch-chan!" She squeaks out. 

"You'll have to do something extreme to get his attention." Sakura chimes in. "We'll help."

"No, n-n-no, that's alr-r-ight." Hinata stutters. "Naruto-Kun...Naruto-kun isn't interested in me." _He's likes Sakura._ Hinata thought. It isn't a new one. She's known for years that her crush has only eyes for Sakura. She's not jealous. Sakura is brilliant. As her teammate, Hinata has learned that she's strong and driven too. When Hinata falters, Sakura strives ahead. It's not surprising Naruto-kun is in love with her. No, what makes Hinata sad is that Naruto-kun will never see her at all. It is her greatest wish to inspire him like he has inspired her and that will never happen. 

Sakura deflates a little at her words. Uncomfortable at the reminder. 

"Well!" Ino sits up. "We'll change that!" 

Alarm races through Hinata. There's a fire in Ino and she doesn't like it one bit. "Re-really, you do-don't ne-"

"Of course we do! Right Kakashi-sensei?" Ino whips around to stare at their teacher who had been leaning against a tree and reading his...novel. 

"What?" Kakashi-sensei tries to play off that he is just noticing them know but Hinata knows better. He prefers to just listen to them talk. Sitting at the edge of their group and enjoying the chatter. She also thinks that, maybe, Kakashi-sensei is a little thrown off by the question. 

"You're a guy! You have to give us tips so Hinata can finally snag Naruto's heart!" Is that...is that panic Hinata sees in Kakashi-sensei's visible eye? 

"She's right!" That was definitely a spark of glee in Sakura's as she joined in. "As our sensei it's your duty to teach us all you know." 

The two girls look eagerly at Kakashi-sensei and even Hinata is staring at him. 

"Well, look at the time. I'm late. For a very important date. With my nin-ken." He disappears in a puff of smoke. There's silence for a moment before Sakura and Ino burst into giggles. Hinata joins them. 

_

Hinata is a little shocked when Kakashi-sensei tells them that he has nominated Team 7 for the Chunin Exams. She knows what they are and she didn't think she'd ever be chosen for them. A squad leader. Nobody has ever thought that Hinata would be able to handle that responsibility. 

Sakura and Ino are excited of course. They bicker back and forth about who will get the promotion first as Hinata stares at the piece of paper Kakashi-sensei gave her. 

It...it feels like too much. 

Dismissed for the day, Hinata wanders home. Her head tucked down and her feet slow. She says hello to the guards at the compound gates and enters her house. There's no welcome as father and her sister are busy training. Hinata would go to them but father has made it clear that she is unwelcome in the dojo. He'll only be mad at her for disturbing them. 

She tries to imagine what he'll think of her nomination. In her heart she hopes he will be proud. Even Neji-niisan wasn't nominated this early. But that is a vain hope. Father will only see this as another opportunity for Hinata to embarrass herself. Worse, it will be in front of ninja of other villages. No, father won't be pleased with this at all. He's right too. Hinata is not a good ninja. Her greatest accomplishment is almost dying to Haku-kun in a fight that was shorter than her sparring matches with Hanabi had been. Hinata is too weak. She falters during missions and Ino and Sakura have to pick up the slack. She makes mistakes. She lets her team down. It would be foolish to even try. Worse than foolish. Her teammates would be on the line and Hinata would fail them when they needed her the most. No, the Chunin Exams are beyond her. 

"Bykaugan." She says quietly. Her blood limit activates and the world of colors and people fade away. All that is left is chakra. Bright burning chakra from ninja, the strict contained chakra of seals, the dancing lights from civilians. It spread out and out until Hinata could see all of Konoha. It glows like a fierce bonfire in her sight. Ignoring the lights, she focuses until she finds one in particular. 

She hasn't let her team know that she can find Kakashi-sensei. She is sure her teacher isn't really hiding and...it doesn't feel quiet right to disturb him at his normal spot. She'll make an exception today. She has to return the exam form to him. 

It takes only a few minutes to get to the Memorial Stone from the Compound. It takes much longer for Hinata to gather the nerve to approach it. Kakashi-sensei is standing there ignoring her, she can't imagine he hasn't noticed her, and staring at one particular name that she can't make out. 

"Kakashi-sensei?" She asks eventually. He turns away from the stone and looks at her. She doesn't need him to say anything to know that he's not happy she has interrupted him here. "I-I-I wanted to return this." 

She thrusts the paper out, bowing as she does so. 

"Why?" 

The question throws her off. Surely the answer is obvious? 

"Wh-what?" 

"Why?" Kakashi-sensei repeats. His lone eye gazing into. Hinata feels incredibly uncomfortable. It always feels like Kakash-sensei is staring into her soul when he focuses on her. 

"I-I-I'll fail. I'll make mistakes. Sakura and Ino don't need me. It would be better if I didn't take the Exam." 

"Is that what you think?" Somehow, he made her feel like she had given a wrong answer but that wasn't right. 

"Of course. I'm-I'm not a good ninja. I fa-falter. I'm weak. Sakura and Ino will-will get hurt and it'll be my-my fault." 

"Sakura and Ino are ninja." He reminds her. "Getting hurt is part of the job. Dying is inevitable." 

"But, they are my team. I'm suppose to protect them." She is a Hyuga. She is Main House. She is suppose to be the shield and sword of her team. Identify threats and shutting them down before they touch her teammates. 

"They are ninja. You can't protect them all the time." He looks back at the Memorial Stone. Hinata feels like those words are ones that others have told Kakashi-sensei. 

"But, they are my _team_." Hinata knows it is foolish to repeat things but she can't think of any other way to get Kakashi-sensei to understand. Being on Team 7 has been wonderful. Sakura and Ino have been so kind and supportive. They never look down at her for her mistakes or make her feel small for trying. Even Kakashi-sensei with his terrible excuses and harsh words aren't that bad. Sometimes he tells she pleased with her progress and Hinata holds onto those words more than anything. She can't imagine what it would be like if Sakura or Ino died. Terror fills her as she images coming out of the Chunin Exams and presenting the corpse scrolls to Kakashi-sensei. 

"Then you are going to abandon them." He turns back to her. "You are going to abandon them to fend for themselves against enemy ninja." 

Hinata's heart sticks in her throat. She hadn't thought of it like that. But now that he has said it...it did sound like she was. 

"But what if-but what if I fail? What if-?" _What if they die and it's all my fault?_

Kakashi-sensei turns away from her. His eyes drawn back to the Memorial Stone. Hinata looks at it too. Her uncle's name is on there. Where, she doesn't know. She goes to the Hyuga's graveyard to mourn him. His grave might be empty but the stone is there. Laid right next to his wife who had died giving birth to Neji-niisan. Her memories of him our faint. The years have dulled them but she can't help but think fondly of the man that smiled at Neji-niisan like he was the sun and the moon. She knew her uncle hadn't liked her but that is fine. There isn't much to like. 

"Then you bury them." The suddenness of Kakashi-sensei's words startle her. "You mourn them and carrying the hole they tore into you and go on." 

That seems so terrible that Hinata can't help but think that anything would be better than that. 

"And you protect their dreams." He continues. "You remember them and fight for them even when they are gone. You make their deaths mean something by fulfilling the mission." 

"The worst sacrifice is a meaningless sacrifice." She murmurs. Her father had said those words to her when explaining why he sent her uncle to Kumo. In fact, that was all he had said about it. Even now, father doesn't speak about his twin or the fate that he suffered for being born two minutes after Hiashi. 

"Yes." 

"And-and those who abandon their comrades are worst than trash." His visible eye curves into a smile. Hinata puts the exam paper back into her pouch. This is like being on the Bridge in Wave. She could have stayed hidden. She could have run but her teammates were in danger so the only thing to do was fight. There wasn't a choice then and there isn't one now. She can't abandon her comrades. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Kakashi-sensei." 

He waves her off. "Maa, maa, I was about to leave anyway." 

That's a lie but one she appreciates. 

"Thank you Kakashi-sensei. I will do my best."


	4. Chapter 4

The stadium is bigger than Sakura realized. She has been here before but not when it is filled with this many people. Or when she is the one competing. She wishes her team was with her but if they were here Sakura wouldn't be about to fight Neji. They are in the stands somewhere. Hinata refused to be left behind in the hospital even though she really shouldn't be walking around. Sakura pursed her lips as a memory popped up. 

_"You shouldn't have challenged Neji-niisan." Hinata says quietly. She's propped up in the hospital bed but that's Ino's doing rather than her own. Sakura's teammate is still weak from her preliminary match. The medical charts at the foot of the bed suggest that she'll need at least six months to fully recover._

_"She definitely should have." Ino counters. "Look at what he did to you! He's a complete ass and needs to be taken down a peg. If I hadn't lost to Shino I would have sworn to defeat him myself."_

_"He was wrong to say those things to you." Sakura insists. "You have changed! He had no right to try to drag you down like that."_

_"I-...you're very kind to say that." Hinata says, staring at her sheets._

_"It's true." Because Sakura remembers how shy Hinata was in class. She remembers how she stutter through questions and hesitate during taijutsu training. She remembers her freezing up during their first couple of missions. That girl is far from her teammate who jumped in front of Haku's attack and trains just as hard as they do. "We've all changed. Fate doesn't control us."_

_"Yes, we have." There is a firmness in Hinata's voice that wasn't there before._

_"And I'm going to prove it." Sakura says._

And here she was. Waiting as the minutes tick away and the fight would be on. There's not much in here. A tree and some grass. Neji has the advantage even more than he already did. 

"All right." The proctor with the senbon in his mouth says. "All of you are here so we will begin. Sakura Haruno and Neji Hyuga, stay here. Everyone else, go to your assigned seating." 

The rest of the participants shuffle out. Naruto stopping by Sakura for a second with a look on his face that she's never seen before. 

"Kick his ass, Sakura-chan." He tells her way more serious than she ever thought he could be. She gives him a nod. 

"I will." Naruto grins at her like he has all the faith in the world. Shikamaru prods him in the direction of the stands with a roll of his eyes and a huff. 

Neji watches the interaction with disinterest. Sakura glares at him. Her Inner Self wants to punch his face in and, for once, she is in agreement. 

"Are you going to say something or not?" He asks. 

"The only thing I'm going to do is win." 

"You really think you can win." He's not outright laughing at her but with that smirk he might as well be. "You know what, I'm going to enjoy this fight. I cannot wait to see your disappointment when you realize the truth of the world. The weak will always be weak and the strong will always win. That is the fate of all." 

"The only fate is what we make." 

He scoffs at her. Their sniping stopped as the proctor makes them face off properly. 

"Match...begin." 

Sakura leaps back, kunai flying out as she does so. Neji dodges them. The ninja wire that they are attached to also miss him. He surges forward and Sakura pulls off a replacement. It gets her to the other side of the battle field but that was way too close. Neji turns on a dime and comes right at her. 

"Earth Release: Wall!" 

A wall soars upwards, cutting Sakura off from Neji even though it's not much taller than her. Sakura sucks in a breath and the chakra drain hits her. Despite the insane training that Kakashi-sensei has been putting her through, her stores aren't that good. The dirt covers her until it starts to crack. Sakura has enough time to stare in shock as Neji breaks down the wall with just his fist. 

_Oh, no, no._ She thinks. 

Scrambling backwards she blocks the first hit with a kunai and feels the second and third make contact with her arm and chest. She can't feel if he hit her tenkutsu points or not but she has to assume that he did. She needs to get out this and get out of this NOW. She pulls another replacement but doesn't get nearly as far she hoped for. Neji must have gotten to her chakra network already. 

He leaps over the remains of her destroyed wall and Sakura has to pull off another replacement. The worst thing about this chase is that Neji isn't even sweating. He still has that infuriating smirk on his face. It pisses Sakura off. 

"Have you finally seen how pointless this is?" He calls out. Coming to a stop because, apparently, she isn't worth chasing anymore. 

_Go die in a hole!_ Inner Sakura calls out. Sakura just whips out a scroll and unseals the weapons inside. Neji watches her, obviously not about to charge into something when he has no idea what it is. 

"Cherry Blossom Blizzard Technique!" 

A whirlwind of cherry petals heads towards Neji, the little bits of pink filled with Kunai with exploding tags attached. 

"You really think I can't see those tags?" He calls out, dodging them with ease. Several go off but none of them close to him. "This is pathetic."

 _I'll show you pathetic._ She hisses in her mind and lobs a kunai towards the ninja wire she scattered across the battlefield earlier. It hits the wire and triggers the tags she had carefully wrapped around the handles. They start to go off, the ink turning red as the seal goes to work. Neji's eyes widen as he realizes he is surrounded and then he starts _spinning_. Sakura has no idea what that technique is but it completely blows away the explosions. The come back towards her and knock her off her feet. 

She hits the dirt far from where she was. There's blood in her mouth and throb in her head. Its not a concussion, she thinks. 

"See what you are up against now?" Neji calls out. Sakura looks up from where she is lying to see he is completely unhurt. There's barely any dirt on his clothes. "This is the power of the Hyuga. Someone like you can never compete with it. It was foolish for you to even consider being a ninja."

Sakura looks at the boy only a year older than her and feels like she is facing off against Haku all over again. 

"The weak will always be weak." He continues because Neji is incapable of shutting up for two seconds. "There is nothing you can do but accept your fate."

"You're right. I never should have been a ninja." She digs her hands into the dirt. "I'm the daughter of two civilians. I have no blood limit, no ninja heritage. I was born a weak little girl who should have been a shop girl. Fate told me that all the Haruno would be known for was serving tables and getting saved by others. That being a ninja was beyond me." 

Neji's smirk turns into a smile. Clearly, he's happy thinking that his lesson has finally sunk in. 

"But you know what?" She pushes herself up, stumbling as she gets her feet under her. She's hurting, she's bloody, she's low on chakra and out of kunai but somehow she has never felt stronger. " _Screw that!_ My name is Sakura Haruno! And people are going to know it! One day the Haruno Clan is going to be the greatest Clan in the world!" 

"The _Haruno Clan?_ You're more delusional if you think someone even weaker than Hinata-sama could ever form a Clan." 

"Hinata-chan isn't weak." Sakura counters. "She stronger than you. She's still fighting while you've given up." 

Because strength isn't being good at things that came easy. It isn't doing things just because everyone tells you you should be doing it. It's fighting when you're hurt and scared. It's getting up and trying again when all you've done is failed. It's pushing through when giving up would be so, so easy. Hinata understands that. Ino too. Neji refuses to see it but nobody on Team 7 is weak. Not any more. 

Neji full out sneers and sinks into his combat stance. "Clearly, you have lost your mind. I only hope your defeat shows you the truth." 

"I will succeed." She repeats, adjusting her gloves before putting her fists up. She was hoping not to have to use this technique but she's out of options. "And today is the day I prove it." 

_"This is pointless!" Sakura says as she runs out of chakra AGAIN. "Neji won't even have to wait five minutes before I die of chakra depreciation."_

_Kakashi-sensei looks around the half destroyed training yard but doesn't disagree with her. Sakura is good at Earth Release but it didn't change the fact there isn't enough time to build up her chakra stores. A month simply isn't enough time. Not when a Hyuga is her opponent._

_"There has to be something else. I can't go into my match with just exploding tags and ninja wire."_

_"Hmm." Sakura narrows her eyes at Kakashi-sensei's non-reaction reaction._

_"You have something don't you? Some technique that I can master." Kakashi-sensei stares off into the distance. "Don't ignore me!"_

_"You say something?" Sakura would strangle the man if he wasn't her sensei. Or her best chance to defeating Neji. Because, honestly, she'll probably strangle him some day._

_"A Technique, a ninjutsu, something so that I have a chance beating Neji." She grits out._

_"I do know a technique that is not chakra intensive." He admits after a moment. Sakura perks up. "But I doubt you'll be able to master it in time for the tournament."_

_"I can do it." Sakura says firmly. She has gotten down everything else that Kakashi-sensei has thrown at her. He looks at her for a long time._

_"It's dangerous." He says, eventually. "If you get it wrong it WILL kill you."_

_"Then I'm not going to get it wrong. Please, Kakashi-sensei, I can handle it."_

_Kakashi-sensei closes his visible eye. For a second he looks old. "Alright. But you have to promise me something." He opens his eye back up._

_"What is it?"_

_"You will NEVER practice this without my supervision and if you don't have this technique COMPLETED mastered by the end of the month you won't use it against Neji."_

_"I promise."_

 

"It is time I ended this. Say farewell to your illusions. Eight Trigrams," 

A giant yin-yang symbol appears on the ground. It glows green and Sakura knows that she has to act quickly. 

_35.4 kilograms plus 4.7 kilograms....40.1 kilograms moving at .23 meters per a second...._

"Sixty-Four," 

_arriving at 1.2 seconds minus the initial time of departure....Entry Coordinates: A22-XX17-LLL93-S1. Exit Coordinates: A67-XX4-LLL27-K15...._

"Palms." 

Neji moves but Sakura is _gone_. The whole world vanishes. For one second there is nothing but a void. Black, soundless, empty for all eternity. Then she is back _behind_ Neji who clearly wasn't expecting Sakura to be able to dodge that. She really wishes she could see his face but being able to kick him in the back is equally as satisfying. Neji hits the ground, rolls and stares at her. 

"What on earth was that?" 

Sakura doesn't give him an answer, just a fist. Not completely stunned, Neji blocks her but as he goes on the offensive Sakura teleports again. The calculations coming easily to her. Sakura jumps from the void to reality. Getting behind him then jumping again when he turns so that she comes in from above. There's a satisfying crunch as her foot connects with his collar bone. Neji goes down to knees and Sakura pushes off of him. 

Leaping backwards, she lands and pulls one of her kunai out of the wall. The seal for Hirashin carefully etched into the blade. She has three into her hand in a second and chucks them around the arena to hem Neji in even more. It is very clear that Neji has realized he is screwed. He goes for another Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms, but Sakura stops the technique as she gets in close to him. 

"How!?" He demands as she takes him on in close combat. "How are you doing this?! How is this possible?!!?!" 

"Because I am Sakura Haruno!" She tells him. Ignoring the burning as her chakra is both shut of and running out. "And I am!" She teleports behind him then back in front, ducking low so that she has enough space to punch up. "The beginning!" 

Sakura drives her fist straight into the underneath of his jaw. His head snaps back. His feet come off the ground slightly. When they make contact again, he falls backwards. Sakura stands over him panting. Neji's eyes are still open. His fingers twitch like he is trying to raise his hands but he doesn't get up. The proctor makes himself known for the first time since the match began. 

Winner: Sakura Haruno." 

Sakura lets out a breath of relief, surprise, and happiness. Yes! She did it. She won! 

"WAY TOO GO SAKURA-CHAN!!!!" Naruto yells from the seats. The cheer jolts the stunned audience. They break into applause. Some hoot and howler. Others stomp there feet and clap their hands. Sakura can't help but feel in awe. That's for her. They are cheering for _her_. People saw her fight with Neji and think she is amazing. 

A bit of Inner Sakura comes out right then. Sakura tilts her head up and flashes the V for Victory sign high into the sky.


	5. Chapter 5

The wind howls and water slaps against her face. Hinata ignores it all as she focuses on the battle around her. Their group had been taken by surprised when the merchant caravan that had been passing them had suddenly revealed themselves to be Iwa ninja. Their journey had gone from calm to intense in the blink of an eye. Hinata had thought at first that the enemies were here for her and Hanabi. It is always dangerous for the Main Family to travel outside of Konoha's protection. Her team and a trio of Branch Members as guards doesn't change this. However, as the fight goes on it is clear that Iwa's target is Sakura. It doesn't matter where she teleports to or who she takes out, the Iwa nin immediately reorient themselves so that they can fight her. 

If the rain soaking her wasn't cold already, Hinata would feel a chill. She had known the Hirashin had terrified Iwa during the Third Shinobi War but it was another thing to see one of the Great Hidden Villages personally attack her teammate for mastering it. 

Hinata takes that fear and uses it to drive her forward. Just like Kakashi-sensei taught her. 

"K-13!" She calls out. Sakura, almost sliced to pieces by a pincer maneuver, disappears in a flash and appears above the kunai Hinata indicated. The pinkette slices the hand off another ninja and drops him to the ground with a well-placed kick. Ino ends up back to back with her. The Yamanaka's distant expression and the stumbles of those around her tell Hinata that Ino's battle is in the mind as well as the body. They don't need Hinata's help. Not right this second. Hanabi does though. The Branch Family is protecting her but sheer numbers has caused their group to scatter. Hanabi is brilliant but just a pre-Genin and facing a ninja who can turn their skin to steel. 

Steel won't save him. 

Hinata focuses. She pushes her chakra into her palm, shifting and changing it into one of her two natural elemental types. She has to hold the arm with her other hand to keep it from shaking. A cacophony of bird cries comes from the technique. 

"Chidori." She whispers and _moves_. She ducks and dodges. The perception of the Byakugan nullifying the tunnel vision of the technique. She half leaps, half lunges the final step and her fist goes straight through the ninja attacking her little sister. His spine disintegrates, the steel skin curls back as it melts, and the scent of burning flesh hits her nose. She doesn't care about the last bit. Only that when she retracts her hand, that he falls to the ground and doesn't get up. 

With the main fighter down, the Hyuga can regroup. Ko takes Hinata's side as the other two protect Hanabi. Sakura and Ino have drawn back too now that there are only a handful of enemies left. No longer separate, it takes minutes to defeat the last of them. The victory does not fill Hinata with relief. 

"There are more coming." She tells them. Hanabi pulls Tokuma off the ground as Sakura shoulders Ino. No one has life threatening injuries but this fight was not easy to win. "Almost fifty coming from the northeast. They are currently nine kilometers away."

"Well...shit." Ino says, steading herself between Sakura and a rock wall. A difficult feat considering how slick the rain is making everything. 

"We will make for the border outpost." Hanabi says. 

"We'll never get there in time." Hinata tells her. They enemy is moving too fast and the way to the outpost is tricky to navigate. 

"There isn't another option." Hanabi points out. Thunder crashes above them. Hinata can barely see the lightning as the natural chakra arcs through the sky. Its presence gives her an idea. She's never _done_ this before but she knows the theory and Kakashi-sensei had been optimistic about the possibility during their training. 

"There is. We make for the top of the mountains and I will take care of them." 

Hanabi gives her a completely blank look; one that is mirrored by the Branch members. It shrieks of disbelief. Screams it to the sky and Hinata swallows. She feels her certainty leak away. 

"Then what are we waiting for?" Ino says. Hinata loves Ino, truly, she does. The blonde's support has never been more appreciated. "Let's get going." 

"It's a foolish plan." Hanabi states. "We are wasting precious time arguing this. We need to move."

"It's not foolish." Hinata stands her ground. "It _will_ work. Your plan-your plan will get us killed. We have to go up." 

"No." 

"Imoto-san, it's the only way. The enemy is only seven kilometers out now." 

"All the more reason to move quickly. Father gave clear instructions in the event of an attack. We are to retreat to the outpost and try to complete the pilgrimage another year." 

"Father isn't here."

"And you are not Heir." Hanabi rebukes her. Hinata flinches. She is over stepping her boundaries. This isn't a mission. If it were, Sakura would be in charge but she and Ino have only come to give Hinata some moral support. Every year, if possible, the Hyuga send the Heir out to their ancestral lands. It's a ruined area that stands as a testament to the power of the ninja that had forced the Hyuga to flee their homelands. Konoha had welcomed them with open arms, earning the Hyuga's respect and eternal gratitude. But the Hyuga did not forget and traveled back to appease the ghosts of those that they had to leave behind and the dead that had been stolen from their graves. Team 7 shouldn't be here. Even Hinata, technically, shouldn't have come along. This is a duty that belonged to the Heir and the Heir alone. It was only Elders' worry over news of Iwa mobilizing that caused them to insist that Hanabi more than the usual guard. Sakura and Ino had joined the trip under the pretense of having a vacation in the same area and had been planning on splitting off once the Hyuga had made it to the edge of the former compound. 

As Heir, Hanabi is in charge. Hinata hadn't had a problem with following her younger sister. She is use to it. She had been stripped of her inheritance for years. Father had made the decision before she had even made Genin. It had been the right decision. Hinata is ill-suited for Clan Head. She is weak. She is useless. No, no, no. She _had been_ weak. She _had been_ useless. She isn't anymore and Hanabi is making a terrible decision. 

"But I'm older." Hinata reminds Hanabi. She can feel shock ripple through the Branch members. Hinata has never challenged her status within the Clan. Not in the years leading up to her removal from the inheritance line and certainly not afterwards. Even Hanabi is thrown by it. Confusion flutters across her face and for a moment, Hinata can see the young girl she is instead of the miniature Father she tries to be. 

It doesn't last long enough. 

"That's not important. It was already decided that isn't important. You are weak and I'm Heir." 

"You are making a _mistake_." Hinata stresses. She looks to Ko, Tokuma, and Netsui. It's futile to look to them though. She knows they won't step in. The Branch Family never gets involved in disputes between Main Family. It never ends well for them. 

"If you feel so strongly about then go." Hanabi jerks her head towards Sakura and Ino. "Take your friends and try your plan. We will be heading to the outpost." 

They will die. They will all die because Hinata can't bring herself to leave Hanabi and that means dragging her teammates with her. Because Ino and Sakura will never abandon anyone on Team 7. Even if they are doing something idiotic. 

_Listen to me._ Hinata wants to say. _Follow me. I can lead us to safety. I can protect us! Just listen to me. I can do this!_

The words die in her throat at the stone wall that is Hanabi. Her little sister isn't going to listen. Ko, Tokuma, and Netsui are going with her because they are Branch and Hanabi is Heir. To be honest, it wouldn't even matter if Hanabi wasn't Heir. Hinata's reputation with the Clan is garbage and after getting stripped her rank within the Main Family she is the least of them. Just above Branch if only because Father hasn't sealed her yet. If Hinata was the only Main Family here then Ko, Tokuma, and Netsui would have to follow her. Or if Hanabi isn't capable of leading. The idea feels awful and wrong but...but Hinata can't let Hanabi do this. If she won't listen then there's only one way. 

"No." Hinata says. Hanabi's face scrunches up in frustration which is good because it means she is completely unprepared for Hinata's attack. The older sister strikes her in the stomach. Right where Neji-niisann showed her. Hanabi crumples. Ko and Netsui gasp in shock. Tokuma's flinches. 

"What are you doing!?" Sakura asks. Ino just gapes at her. Hanabi makes an attempt to get up but Hinata hits more pressure points and Hanabi passes out. Hinata chooses to ignore her friends and family. She's sure that she will lose her nerve if she thinks about what she has done. 

"Sakura, please take Hanabi." There's a tremor in her voice but no stutter. For once. "We're going up the mountain." 

"You can't d-" Ko starts. 

"I can and I have." Hinata cuts him off. "Hanabi is incapable of leading. I am taking command now and we are _going up_." 

They hesitate. Hinata feels their disbelief cut her but she endures it. For once the harsh rules of the Hyuga Clan are in her favor. Hinata has beaten Hanabi in a fight and Hanabi is unable to lead them now. The command defaults to her. 

"Yes, Hinata-sama." Is the murmured reply. A sigh of relief slips past her lips before she can stop it. For one terrible moment, Hinata thought they were going to fight her anyway. Hinata has never activated the Cage Bird Seal and she never will. They know this and for Branch Family that means Hinata is the rare Main Family member that they can disobey without fear. It's good to know that they won't do that here where she needs them to obey her the most. 

Sakura takes Hanabi and they make their way upwards. Hinata keeping watch of the fast approaching enemy forces. Their numbers have hit sixty-two. 

"So, what is the plan?" Ino asks as she uses chakra to scale upwards. Hinata doesn't want to talk about it. She feels if she does so then Ino will realize just how shaky a plan this is and it will fall apart. "Please tell me you really do have a plan." 

"I do." 

"A good plan?" Sakura asks. 

"It will work." Hinata says instead of answering. _It has too._

"Of course it will but you know how I hate going in to plans blind." They get up to the top of the mountain. The storm is strongest up here. The winds blow so fiercely that Hinata can barely hear her teammates right next to her. Lightning arcs across the sky. Crashes to the ground and then races back up as it seek release from the clouds. This is as close as Hinata can get. 

"Please back up." She tells her team. Sakura and Ino give her a respectful distance. Hinata summons Chidori again. 

This time it is smaller, more precise. Hinata can feel it's chakra echo with the storm's natural chakra. It isn't difficult to get them to synchronize. No, the hard part is controlling it. The lightning wants to go everywhere. Striking those closest to her and tearing her apart. Hinata grapples with it. Wrestling as the enemy is now only three kilometers out. 

Clutching her arm with the Chidori, Hinata wills it under her control. It balks but gives in. The lightning forms a vague shape. Now bending to her will like it had when Kakashi-sensei had first taught her how to use Lightning Release. It will wipe out the Iwa ninja. Or it should. Oh no. They split into two groups; clearly trying to pincer Hinata's. She hadn't expected that. She doesn't know if she can attack both groups at once. She won't be able to get rid of them before they get here if she has to take them out one at a time. She _can't_ -she has to. Her family is here. Her team is here. They are depending on her to do this and Hinata will _not_ fail them. 

She just needs something to focus her. Something to give this half-formed jutsu substance. To give it clarity. To take it from an idea to reality. She needs a name. 

Hinata scrambles to come up with one. Several ones flash through her head before being discarded. They aren't what she wants; what she means to do here. A word comes to Hinata as she thinks of the reason for this trip. It is perfect. 

"Lightning Release," she calls out, swinging the hand with the Chidori towards the sky. "Komainu." 

The storm comes together. Lightning forming two lion-dogs in the sky. They are huge. Their roars are louder than the thunder and their bodies overshadow the mountain they are on. Hinata sees the two enemy groups come to a halt. She sees the individual ninja stare up at the ninjutsu she has created. Hinata swings her hand down. The lions move. To everyone else, they are a blur. Leaping to the ground too fast to be dodged. Too fast to really know what hit you. But this is her ninjutsu so Hinata can see them in vivid detail. 

She sees the square face and sharp teeth. The prayer beads around their necks and the fierceness in their eyes. The swirls along the length of their bodies that is similar to the komainu that guard the Hyuga cemetery. She sees them leap from the clouds to the ground, devastating the ninja below. She sees some of the Iwa nin die by their paws; others by their teeth. The ground shakes as lightning makes contact with it. Hinata can tell by the way that Sakura and Ino shield their eyes that the impacts are blindingly bright. The guardian spirits last for less than a minute but when they are done there is not a single Iwa nin left alive. 

Shaking, Hinata lets the Chidori die. The storm is over already. The ninjutsu used up all of its power. 

"Wow..." The words slip out of Ino's mouth. 

"I..." _I did it._ "They're dead." 

"That was amazing!" Sakura says. "When did you learn that?" 

"Ah-ah, just now?" 

Ino snorts. Hinata ducks her head but her friend's snort turns into a laugh. She loops a arm around Hinata's shoulder and pulls her close. 

"Of course you did! You can't have Sakura be the only one to pull out a super crazy move at the last minute." 

"Hey! Hirashin wasn't last minute!" Sakura protests. 

"Pfft, was too. You didn't use it until Neji was about to win and you didn't show it to us until then." 

Hinata smiles at their friendly bickering. Ko coughs. Hinata looks over at him. She follows his gaze to where Hanabi is sitting. Netsui is by her side so that Hinata's little sister can lean on her. Hanabi is staring at Hinata, mouth open slightly. She thinks her eyes are playing tricks on her, because Hinata could swear there is respect in Hanabi's eyes. 

"I'm sorry I hurt you." Hinata tells her sister. She is too. 

"It's....I'm the one who should be apologizing." Hanabi's words take her by surprise. "I was wrong." 

Those words catch Hinata flat footed. Of all the things she thought Hanabi might say to her those had not been among them. 

"About more than just the plan." Hanabi continues. "I'm...I'm sorry." 

For someone so proud, from a Clan with so much pride, those words are not said lightly. Hinata swallows. She's at a complete loss of what to say to that. Nobody in her Clan has ever apologized for thinking her weak. For doubting her. For questioning her. She never thought she would be able to change their minds about her. Even as she has gotten stronger, she knows she is still the Weak One in the eyes of the Clan. Still a disgrace to the Hyuga. But Hanabi's words are proof that she has achieved her dream. One of her family thinks she is strong. Not useless. Not worthless. 

Strong. 

"Thank you."

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is based off a random anon tha lt wasn't even aimed at me. 90% sure this is going to be just a random collection of snapshots of an AU. Enjoy.


End file.
